Border Patrol to show off desert rescue beacons

PHOENIX — U.S. Border Patrol officials planned to show off the agency’s
latest technology in rescue towers that are placed in remote desert regions
across the Southwest.

The beacons are placed along routes commonly traveled by immigrants trying to
cross into the U.S. illegally from Mexico. If they find themselves in a
dangerous predicament, the person can press a button on the tower that alerts
authorities of their location.

The agency plans a media event for Wednesday morning in the desert south of
Tucson to highlight the dangers immigrants face when crossing rugged, remote
terrain in sometimes triple-digit heat while also facing potential abuse or
worse at the hands of smugglers.